Changeable billboard sign



March 19, 1968 J. s. HALPERIN CHANGEABLE BILLBOARD SIGN Filed April 1,1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

ATTYS.

' INVENTOR km S. HALPERIN March 19, 1968 J. s. HALPERIN 3,373,517

CHANGEABLE BILLBOARD SIGN Filed April 1, 1966 '71Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJACK S. HALPERIN Ar'rvs.

March 19, 1968 J. s. HALPERIN 3,373,517

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March 19, 1968 Filed April 1, 1966 J. S. HALPERIN CHANG EABLE BI LLBOARDS IGN 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 lOe 2 ,32

80 .I" Z Meme-l v luveuroa JAcl S. HALPERIN March 1968 J. 5. HALPERINCHANGEABLE BILLBOARD SIGN km S. HALPERIN '7 SheetsSheet Filed Apri IMarch 19, 1968 J. S. HALPERIN CHANGEABLE BILLBOARD SIGN m m 7 W a TP A mN m 4 EA m vH a N mm 1 v m 4 J m F :0. 0 e. 555 A 3 ll m 5 n w N im 7 Q3 J 72.

Filed April 1, 1966 United States Patent Ofi Flee 3,373,517 CHANGEABLEBILLBUARD SIGN Jack S. Halperin, 2820 W. Glen Lake Ave, Chicago, Ill.60645 Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,364 Claims. (Cl. 40-65) Thisinvention relates to billboard signs of a type which are placed on thesides of buildings or on support frames anchored in the ground or otherhorizontal support surfaces and which have sets of movable sign elementswhich are moved to different positions to display different messages,indicia or pictorial representations.

A miniature cardboard display sign for indoor use which displaysalternately dilfererit mess-age elements by interleaving sets ofslat-like sign elements is disclosed in my US. Patent No. 2,961,788granted Nov. 29, 1960. The present invention deals with modificationsand improvements in the changeable display sign disclosed in this patentwhich enable this type sign to be utilized in the much larger outsidebillboard signs. In such case, the problems of sign erection,maintenance and modification become greatly magnified. For example,outdoor billboard signs to which the present invention is applied aresubjected to wind forces which create maintenance and reliabilityproblems not present in miniature cardboard indoor display signs.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a sturdyreliable and easy to maintain outdoor changeable billboard sign unitwhich includes two separate sets of relatively movable interleavingslat-like indicia carrying elements and which is adapted to be mountedon the side of a building or upon a support frame anchored to ahorizontal support surface. A related object of the invention is toprovide changeable outdoor billboard signs of the type described, wherethe indicia carrying sign elements can be easily changed by only asingle person. A further related object of the invention is to provide achangeable outdoor billboard sign as described where the sign elementsreferred to are mounted in such a way that they are not readilydistorted or otherwise adversely affected by normal expected windforces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a changeable sturdybillboard sign of the type described which is made of standard sizedcomponents which can be assembled quickly and easily at any locationinto a complete sign unit. A related object of the present invention isto provide a billboard sign as just described where the main structuralmembers are channel members and/ or other well known structural formsrelated in a unique way to provide sturdy yet simple-to-constructeconomical support for the aforementioned sign elements.

The preferred billboard sign of the invention includes a rectangularperipheral stationary frame and a rectangular inner movable framemounted within the stationary frame for horizontal movement betweenextreme sign changing positions. The movable frames are mostadvantageously made mostly of channel members with their webs facingforwardly and the flanges thereof extending rearwardly. As previouslyindicated, the sign forming portions of the billboard sign comprise twogroups of interleaved slat-like sign elements which are interleaved. Oneof the groups of sign elements carried by the stationary frame extendsbetween the upper and lower marginal portions or legs thereof and theother group of sign elements, which are shorter than the other group ofsign elements, extend between the upper and lower marginal portions orlegs of the movable frame. The sign elements of each group overlap oneanother and the exposed portions thereof having indicia which forms anoverall integrated pattern sign. In one extreme position of the movableframe, the sign elements carried thereby are hidden behind the signelements carried -by the sta- 3,373,517 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 tionaryframe whose sign-forming indicia is then in visible. In the otherextreme position of the movable frame, the exposed portions of theoverlapping sign elements on the movable frame cover over the normallyexposed portions of the sign elements on the stationary frame anddisplay a different overall sign.

In accordance with one of the aspects of the present invention, theupper and lower legs of the stationary and movable frames carry signelement anchoring means which greatly facilitate and simplify themounting of the sign elements thereon in a manner where the signelements, which may be flexible cardboard members, are held in a tautcondition where they can withstand normal expected wind forces withoutvibrating or buckling. In the preferred form of the invention, the upperleg of the stationary frame is provided with upwardly extendingresilient hooks, preferably one hook for each sign element, over whichhooks apertured portions of the sign element are placed by the personinstalling the same. The lower leg of the stationary frame comprises aseries of downwardly extending rigid hooks, preferably one per signelement, over which apertured portions of the sign elements are thenmounted under tension. The sign elements carried by the movable framewhich interleave with the elements on the stationary frame arepreferably held in place on the movable frame by sign element anchoringmeans which can take a variety of forms. The tautness or rigidity of thesign elements on the sta tionary frame help to maintain the tautness ofthe sign elements supported by the movable frame since the latter signelements are sandwiched between the former. In such case, it is notnecessary, therefore, to utilize resilient sign element anchoring meanson the movable frame of the type described for the stationary frame.Thus, the sign element anchoring means on the movable frame can behorizontally extending resilient hooks which pass over part of the frontfaces of the sign element and extend rearwardly through openings in thesign elements. With the construction of the sign elements and the signelement anchoring means described, it is a simple matter for only oneman to mount or remove the sign elements from the stationary and movableframes.

Other features of the invention to be described deal with the manner ofconstruction of the stationary and movable frames and the manner inwhich the movable frame is supported for movement on the stationaryframe.

Theabove and other objects, advantages, and features of the inventionwill become apparent upon making reference to the specification tofollow, the claims and the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a changeable billboard sign of thepresent invention supported from a base anchored in the ground or otherhorizontal support surface;'

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the billboard sign of FIG. 1,taken substantially along the line 2-2 thereof; FIG. 3 is an enlargedview of the upper portions of the sign shown in FIG. 2 illustrating themanner in which the movable frame portion thereof is suspended from thesta-' tionary frame portion thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the molding which extends around theperirneter of the sign shown in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the sign of FIG. 1 with partsthereof broken away to show the construction thereof, and the movableframe moved to the right;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bottom of the stationaryframe, showing the manner in which the stationary frame of the sign isanchored to the base of the sign;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the stationary frame portion of thebillboard sign in FIGS. 1 through 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the movable frame portion of thebillboard sign in FIGS. 1 through 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the upper leg of themovable frame of FIG. 8 showing the manner in which the adjacent channelmembers thereof are secured together in abutment;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stationary and movableframes of the billboard sign illustrating the manner in which the signelements are anchored;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged broken away view showing the upper and lower legsof the stationary frame and showing the manner in which the signelements are anchored thereto;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged broken away view of the upper and lower legs ofthe movable frame showing the manner in which the sign elements areanchored thereto;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the manner in which thesign element anchoring means of FIG. 12 are anchored to the channelmembers of the movable frame;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary enlargement perspective view of one end of thestationary frame;

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the parts shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of the movable frame;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the stationaryand movable frames illustrating the manner in which the movable frame isreciprocated on the stationary frame;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary sectional horizontal view of the portion of thebillboard sign shown in FIG. 17, taken substantially along the line 1818therein;

FIG. 19 is a horizontal section through FIG. 17 taken along section line19-19 therein;

FIG. 20 is a section through another portion of FIG. 17 taken alongsection line 20-20 therein;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the stationaryand movable frames showing the manner in which the movable frame issuspended from the stationary frame;

FIG. 22 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 21, taken substantiallyalong the line 2222 therein; and

FIG. 23 is an enlargement of the billboard sign of FIG. 22.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 8, theexemplary embodiment of the invention there shown comprises a billboardsign 1 adapted to be mounted upon the side of a building or, asillustrated, to a support base or frame 2 which is illustrated ascomprising a pair of upwardly extending pillars 33 secured to a pair ofhorizontally extending foot members 5 anchored in any suitable way to ahorizontal support surface which may be the ground, the roof of abuilding, etc. The billboard sign comprises an outer peripheralstationary frame 8 (best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7) within which isreciprocably mounted a rectangular movable frame (best shown in FIGS. 5and 8). Within the perimeter of the stationary frame 8 there is providedan unobstructed space 14 (FIG. 7) which provides clearance for thehorizontal reciprocating movement of the movable frame 10. The movementis imparted to the movable frame by means including an electrical motor(FIGS. 7 and 17) preferably' mounted on the stationary frame and havinga crank arm 17 which engages with a pair of horizontally spaced members1919 to rock the movable frame back and forth as the crank arm 17 makesa single revolution.

Extending between the upper and lower legs 8a and 8b (FIG. 7) of thestationary frame are a group of vertically extending slat-likeoverlapping indicia carrying sign forming elements best shown in FIGS.1, 5 and 10. The exposed surfaces of the group of overlapping signelements 20 form an overall sign pattern as, for example, illustrated inFIG. 1. A second group of indicia carrying sign forming elements 22 aremounted relative to each other in overlapping relation and extendbetween the upper and lower legs 10a and 10b (FIG. 8) of the movableframe 10. The sign-forming elements 22 are somewhat shorter than thesign elements carried by the stationary frame 8 and they interleave withthe sign elements 20 of the stationary frame. In one extreme position ofthe movable frame 10, the sign elements 22 of the movable frame arecompletely hidden behind the sign elements 20 of the stationary frame,as shown in FIG. 1. This occurs when the stationary movable frame It) isin one of its extreme positions, the left hand position shown in FIGS. 1and 10. When the movable frame 10 is in its extreme right hand positionas shown in FIG. 5, the sign elements 22 carried by the movable frameoverlie the normally exposed surfaces of the sign elements 20 and theexposed surfaces of the overlapping sign elements 22 display a differentoverall sign pattern from that shown in FIG. 1.

The overall attractiveness of the billboard sign is enhanced by thepresence of moldings 25 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 which cover theperipheral portions of the stationary and movable frames so that onlythe sign display, in addition to the moldings, are visible from thefront of the billboard sign. The moldings have flanges 25a (FIGS. 2 and3) for connecting the same by nuts and bolts 26 to the pillars 33 andthe stationary frame 8.

The features of the present invention deal with the manner in which thesign elements 20 and 22 are supported on the stationary and movableframes, and the constructional details of the frames and the mountingfor the motor 15. As will appear, the frames 8 and 10 are formed ofstructural members which are sized to form the smallest possible signfrom the members involved (a sign of square shape), so that the partscan be standardized as much as possible. In the drawings, the sign 1 hasa horizontally elongated profile formed by connecting pairs ofhorizontal structural members in abutment. The structural members of thebillboard sign are preferably channel and angle members, the channelmembers being oriented with the webs thereof in near common verticalplanes with the flanges projecting rearwardly. The structural membersmay, for example, be approximately six feet in length so the signillustrated in the drawings would be roughly six feet by twelve feet insize.

The horizontal upper leg 8a of the stationary frame 8 is preferablyformed by a pair of channel members Sa-l and 8a-1 connected in abutmentand the horizontal bottom leg 8b thereof is preferably formed by channelmembers 8b-1 and 811-1 connected in abutment. The vertical side legs ofthe stationary frame preferably are formed by a pair of channel members8c1 and -1.

The horizontal channel members 8a-1 and 8a-1' are held in abutment toform the upper leg 8a by an angle plate 30 (FIG. 17) which has ahorizontal forwardly extending flange 30oz riveted or bolted at 31 tothe upper surface of the upper flange of the channel members 8a-1 and8a-1. The angle plate 30 has a vertically extending wall 30b whichextends downwardly into contact with the rear edges of the flanges ofthe channel members Sa-l and 8a-1. A similar angle plate 30' is used tosecure together the abutting channel members 811-1 and 8b1 forming thebottom leg of the stationary frame. The plate 30' has a horizontalforwardly extending flange 30a riveted or bolted at 31' to the bottomsurface of the lower flange of the channelmembers 812-1 and 8b-1. Theangle plate 30' has a vertical wall 30b which extends upwardly from therear of the plate flange 30a.

A pair of relatively closely spaced intermediate vertical channelmembers 37-37 are provided which extend respectively between the rear ofthe upper flanges of the channel members 8a-1 and 8a-1' which are longerthan the other flanges thereof, and the lower flanges of the channelmembers 8b-1 and 8b-1 which are also longer than the other flangesthereof. The vertical channel members 37-37 are oriented so their websface rearwardly and they are anchored in place, to the associated angleplates 30 and 30 by rivets or bolts 40.

An assembly of electric motor 15 and a mounting plate 42 to which themotor 15 is anchored in a suitable way is supported between the centralportions of the vertical channel members 37-37,. The mounting plate 42is most advantageously mounted for horizontal adjustment relative to thestationary frame as by means including horizontally elongated slots47-47 in the plate 42 and mounting screws 45 passing through these slotsand threaded into the webs of the vertical channel members 37-37.

As best shown in FIGS. 5, 7, 14 and 15, vertical channel members 8c-1and 8c-1 form the side legs of the stationary frame 8 and are secured tothe outer ends of the channel members by corner tie members 50 whichencompass the adjacent ends of the channel members involved and aresecured thereto by rivets or bolts 52. To this end, each of the cornertie members 50 has intersecting vertical and horizontal flanges 50a and50b (FIGS. 14-15) extending from a generally triangular verticalgusset-forming rear wall 50c. The corner tie member flanges 50a and 50bhave apertures 60 for receiving the bolts or rivets 52 passing throughcorresponding openings 54 and 56 in the outermost flanges of the channelmembers involved (FIG. 15). The edge of one of the channel members whichare secured together at each corner of the stationary frame 8 makesabutment with the inner flange of the other channel member thereat, asbest shown in FIG. 14, so that a secure corner joint results.

The stationary frame is secured to the pillars 3-3 by an angle member61-61 (FIG. 3) secured by bolts 64 to the outermost flanges of the upperand lower pairs of channel members 8a-1 and 8a-1, and 8b-1 and 8b-1 andby bolts 67 to the pillars 3-3.

It-is apparent that forwardly of the intermediate vertical channelmembers 8a-1, 8a-1', 8b-1, 811-1, 80-1 and 80-1 is an unobstructed space14 (FIG. 5) within which the movable frame can be mounted andreciprocated in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

The movable frame 10 comprises horizontal channel members which formupper and lower horizontal peripheral legs 10a and 10b and angle membersforming vertical peripheral side legs 10c and 10d (FIGS. 8 and 9). Theupper leg is formed by a pair of channel members 10a-1 and 1041-1secured in abutment in any suitable way as, for example, by an anglemember 63 having a horizontal leg 63a which bridges the abutting membersreferred to and is secured thereto by rivets or bolts 64, and a rearvertical leg 63b. As best shown in FIG. 8, the bottom leg 10b of themovable frame 10 comprises a pair of channel members 10b-1 and 10b-1'held in abutment by an angle member 63' which is in the same manner theangle member 63 holds the channel members 10a-1 and -10a-1 together. Theside legs 10c and 10d of the movable frame are each formed by a verticalangle member 10c-1 or 10d-1 with one leg facing forwardly at the frontof the frame and one leg extending rearwardly at the outermost side ofthe member. The vertical angle members are tied to the ends of thehorizontal channel members forming the upper and lower legs of themovable frame by corner tie members 70. Each of the corner tie members70 has a gusset-forming vertical wall 70a which passes behind theforwardly facing vertical leg of the adjacent vertical angle member10c-1 or 10d-1, in front of the movable frame and the web of theassociated horizontal channel member, 1091-1, 10a-1, 10b-1 or 10b-1.Each corner tie member 70 has arearwardly extending horizontal flange70b which extends over the outermost horizontal flange of the associatedhorizontal channel member. Bolts or rivets 80 pass through openings inthe wall 70a and 70b and corresponding openings in the adjacent channeland angle members. When the corner tie members 70 are secured in placearound the end portions of the associated angle and channel members atthe corners of the movable frame, the outer edges of the horizontalchannel members abut the inner surfaces of the side legs of theassociated vertical angle members 100-1 and 10d-1.

The movable frame 10 preferably has a number of vertically spacedhorizontal structural sections 10e and 10f (FIG. 8) and a pair ofhorizontal spaced vertical structural sections 10g and 10h. Thehorizontal structural sections Me and 10] are respectively formed byabutting channel members 10e-1 and 10e-1' and 10f-1 and 10f-1 securedtogether by angle places 81 and 81' (FIGS. 8 and 17). The channel plate81 has a forwardly extending top flange 81a which is riveted or 'boltedat 83 to the inner surfaces of the lower flange of the horizontalchannel members 10e-1 and 10e-1, and a vertical wall 81b having adjacenteach corner portion thereof and a series of horizontally spaced holes85. These holes are adapted to receive screws or bolts 87 for adjustablyconnecting the aforementioned spaced crank arm operated members 1919which in FIG. 1'7 are vertical channel members with the webs thereoffacing in a rearward position, the screws or bolts 87 passing throughthe webs of the channel members 19-19. The spacing between the channelmembers 19-19 can be adjusted by selecting the holes 85 through whichthe anchoring screws or bolts 87 are passed.

The aforementioned angle plate 81' has a forwardly extending bottomflange 81a which secures together the abutting channel members 10f-1 and10y-1 by rivets or bolts 83' passing through the angle plate flange 81aand the uppermost flange of the horizontal channel member 10f-1 and10f-1'. The angle plate 81' has a vertical wall 81b having a series ofhorizontally spaced holes 85 at each corner portion thereof forreceiving bolts 87' passing through the webs of the vertical channelmembers 19-19 to adjust the spacing of the vertical channel members1919.

The outer ends of the horizontal channel members 10e-1 and 10e-1' and10f-1 and 10f-1 are anchored to the vertical angle members 10c-1 and10d-1 of the frame by gusset plates 70' (FIG. 8) in the same manner inwhich the corner tie members 70 interconnect the channel members 10a-1,10a-1 and 10b-1 and 10b-1 to the angle members -1 and 10d-1. The movableframe 10 is supported for reciprocating movement on the stationary frame8 by means including rollers 94-94 (-best shown in FIGS. 8 and 21through 23). Two of the rollers are connected by mounting strips 96(FIG. 21) to the webs of the channel members 10g-1 and 10h-1 forming theaforementioned vertical structural sections 10g and 10h. The means forconnecting the strips 96 to the vertical channel members 10g-1 and 10h-1may be bolts or screws 99. Each of the strips 96 has a forwardlyextending bottom flange portion 101 which is secured by a bolt 103 orother securing means to the bottommost flange of the upper channelmember 1011-1 or 10:1-1. The outermost rollers 94 shown in FIG. 8 aresecured to the bottommost flanges of the latter channel members by boltsor the like extending through forwardly extending bottom flanges ofmounting strips 96'.

The rollers 94 ride in tracks 105 (FIG. 21) defined between the webs ofthe upper channel members 811-1 and 8a-1' of the stationary frame 8 andupwardly extending lips 107-107 formed at the rear edges of the bottomflanges of these channel members. The rollers 94 ride on the uppersurfaces of these bottom flanges and the lips 107-107 keep the rollers94 from falling off of the track 105. Also, the head of a nylon button108 (FIG. 23) anchored to each strip 96 rides along the outer surface ofthe track lip 107 or 107 to stabilize the movable frame in a verticalplane.

As previously indicated, one of the important aspects of the inventionrelates to the manner in which the signforming elements 20 and 22 areindividually supported from the upper and lower legs of the movable andstationary frames of the billboard sign. Refer now to FIGS. 10 through13 which illustrate this aspect of the invention. The upper leg of thestationary frame 8 carries a seriesof resilient sign element anchoringmeans generally indicated by reference numeral 100. These anchoringmeans most advantageously comprise a series of resilient hooks eachhaving a shank portion 100a terminating in an eyelet 100a which issecured to the upper flange of one of the channel members 8a1 or 8a-1 byrivets 104 or the like. The shank portion 100a of the hooks 100 extendbeneath the channel member flanges and pass through vertical slots 106formed in the webs of the channel members. The shanks 100a of the hooksterminate in upwardly extending hook-forming portions 10%. The verticalslots 106 provide clearance for the downwardly flexing of the hooks 100.There is provided one such hook 100 for each sign-forming elementsupported on the stationary frame. Each of the sign-forming elements 20has an opening 107 defined by an eyelet 107' secured to the sign elementwhich opening readily fits over the hook-forming portion 10% of the hookassociated therewith.

The webs of the bottom channel members 812-1 and 8b-1' of the stationaryframe are provided with a series of sign element anchoring meanspreferably comprising downwardly extending hooks 109 which are bestformed by striking out metal from the webs of the channel members 8b1and 8b1. One such downwardly extending hook 109 is provided for eachsign-forming element 20, and each sign-forming element has a bottomopening 111 defined by an eyelet 111' secured thereto which, when thesign-forming element is put under tension by downward pull thereon whichflexes the associated hook 100, passes over the bottom end of theassociated hook 109. When the sign-forming element 20 is released, thesignforming element involved remains under tension which maintains thesign-forming element in a taut condition between the upper and lowerlegs of the stationary frame 8.

As previously indicated, the sign-forming elements 22 supported by themovable frame 8 interleave with the sign-forming elements 20 carried bythe stationary frame. The sign-forming elements 22 (FIG. 12) carried bythe movable frame 10 are anchored thereon by sign element anchoringmeans which in the illustrated embodiment of the invention arehorizontally oriented resilient books 114. The hooks 114 havehorizontally extending shank portions 114a extending horizontally alongthe horizontal channel members forming the upper and lower legs 10a and10b of the movable frame 10 and also preferably along one side of theintermediate horizontal legs 10c thereof. The books 114 on these framelegs are aligned so that there is one vertical row for each sign-formingelement 22. The shank portion 114a of each hook 114 terminates in aneyelet 114b which is anchored in place to the webs of the associatedchannel members in any suitable way as by rivets 116. The shank 114a ofeach hook 114 extends over the front surface of the associatedsign-forming element 22 and terminates in a hook-forming portion 114cwhich passes through an opening 117 in the associated sign-formingelement 22 by an eyelet 117 (FIG. 12) secured thereto. The webs of thevarious channel members containing the hooks 114 of the movable frameare provided with openings to receive the rearwardly extendinghook-forming portions 1140.

To remove a sign-forming element 20 from the stationary frame 8, thesign-forming element is grasped and pulled donwardly to enable thebottom eyelet 111 to clear the associated hook 109 which relieves thetension in the sign-forming element so that the same can be readilyraised from the associated upper hook 100. To remove a sign-formingelement 22 from the movable frame 10, the hooks 114 are pulled one at atime from the associated sign element eyelet 117 and the signformingelement 22 is laterally shifted to bring the eyelet opening 117 involvedout of alignment with the associated hook.

The tautness of the sign-forming elements 20 supported by the stationaryframe effected by the resilient mounting thereof on the hooks alsosupplies rigidity to the sign-forming elements 22 sandwichedtherebetween. The manner in which the sign-forming elements 20 and 22are mounted permit the ready dismounting and mounting of same from andupon frames 8 and 10 and assures that the sign-forming elements will notvibrate or bend signficantly under much normal expected wind forces.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made in thepreferred form of the invention described above without deviating fromthe broader aspects of the invention.

I claim:

1. A changeable billboard sign assembly adapted to be secured to theside of a building or supported on a base anchored to a horizontalsupport surface, said billboard sign comprising: a stationary frame anda movable frame for supporting indicia carrying sign elements thereon, afirst series of sign element anchoring means along one margin of one ofsaid frames and an associated second series of sign element anchoringmeans along the opposite margin of the latter frame, a first group ofrelatively long slat-like sign elements suspended in overlappingrelation between said first and second series of sign element anchoringmeans, the forwardly facing exposed surfaces of the overlapping signelements having billboard sign-forming indicia thereon, one of saidseries of sign element anchoring means including spring means which areplaced under tension by the associated suspended sign elements anchoredthereto to maintain the associated sign elements in a relatively tautcondition, a group of slat-like sign elements onsaid other frame andwhich are shorter than said first group and have billboard sign-formingindicia on forwardly facing surfaces thereof, said movable frame beingsupported for movement transversely of the length of said slat-like signelements between opposite extreme positions, said shorter group of signelements interleaving with said first group of sign elements and in oneextreme position of the movable frame being hidden behind said firstgroup of sign elements and in the other extreme position of the movableframe covering the exposed indicia carrying portions of the first groupof sign elements, the indicia carrying surfaces of said shorter signelements then being exposed, and means for automatically periodicallymoving said movable frame between said extreme positions.

2. The changeable billboard sign of claim 1 wherein said first andsecond series of sign elements anchoring means permit the mounting onand removal of said first group of sign elements one at a time from theassociated frame.

3. The changeable billboard sign of claim 2 wherein one of said seriesof sign element anchoring means carrying the longer of said signelements each comprises an outwardly extending resiliently hook engagingan apertured portion at one end of the associated sign element which ispulled against the hook to place the same under tension, and the otherseries of sign element anchoring means for the longer of said signelements each comprises a relatively rigid outwardly extending hook overwhich an apertured portion at the other end of the associated signelement extends when the sign element is pulled against the associatedresilient hook.

4. The changeable billboard sign of claim 3 wherein said sign elementsextend vertically between said first and second series of sign elementar'ichoring means at the top and bottom of the associated frame, andsaid resilient hooks are at the upper of said anchoring means so eachsign element is mounted by engaging the same over a resilient hook andthen pulling the same down to engage a rigid hook.

5. The changeable billboard sign of claim 3 wherein the frame carryingthe shorter sign elements also has sign element anchoring means formounting each sign element to the associated frame and to or from whicheach shorter sign element can be individually respectively mounted orremoved.

6. The changeable billboard sign of claim wherein the anchorin means foreach shorter sign element comprises at least two longitudinally spacedresilient hooks each having a shank portion extending over the frontportion of the associated sign element and a rearwardly extendinghook-forming portion passing through an opening in the associated signelement.

7. The changeable billboard sign of claim 6 wherein there is provided atleast one additional resilient hook for each shorter sign elementpositioned intermediate the end portions of the associated sign element,the additional hook member having a shank portion extending over thefront surface of the associated sign element and a rearwardly extendinghook-forming portion passing through an aperture in the sign elementinvolved.

8. The changeable billboard of claim 5 wherein the sign elements of thestationary and movable frames are vertically extending sign elements,said sign element anchoring means on both frames being locatedrespectively 'at the front faces of the upper and lower portions of theassociated frames.

9. A changeable billboard adapted to be secured to the side of abuilding or supported on a base anchored to a horizontal supportsurface, said billboard comprising: a rectangular stationary peripheralframe defining an un obstructed space within the innermost margins ofthe frame; a rectangular movable frame mounted for horizontalreciprocating movement in said unobstructed space; motor means securedto one of the frames by means permitting horizontal adjustment of themotor means with respect to the associated frame, the motor means havingcrank means, and a pair of horizontally spaced, vertical, armshorizontally adjustable in position to vary the spacing and relativepositions of the vertical arms and between which said motor crank meansextends, the crank means pushing in opposite directions against the armsat different points in the rotation of said crank means to reciprocatesaid movable frame.

10. A changeable billboard sign adapted to be secured to the side of abuilding or supported on a base anchored to a horizontal supportsurface, said billboard sign comprising: a rectangular stationaryperipheral frame comprising vertically spaced upper and lower legs andside legs extending between the ends of said upper and lower legs andformed by structural members having outermost forwardly facing verticalwalls and rearwardly extending frame rigidifying walls, one of saidupper and lower legs of the stationary frame forming roller-receivingtrack means, structural means extending between the rear portions of thelegs of the stationary frame to leave an unobstructed space forwardly ofsaid structural means within the inner margins of said structuralmembers; a rectangular movable frame mounted within said unobstructedspace and being of a horizontal extent less than the correspondingdimension of said unobstructed space whereby the movable frame can bereciprocated between given extreme positions within said stationaryframe, said movable frame having vertically spaced upper and lower legsand side legs extending between the ends of said upper and lower legsand formed by structural members having outermost forwardly facingvertical walls and rearwardly extending frame rigidifying walls, andstructural means extending between the legs of the movable frame; rollermeans at horizontally spaced points of said movable frame which rollermeans ride on said roller-receiving track means of said stationary frameand which support the movable frame for movement within said stationaryframe between said extreme positions; motor means secured to saidstructural means of one of said stationary and movable frames and havingcrank means which engages said structural means of the other of same toreciprocate the same between said extreme positions; a

first group of horizontally spaced and overlapping sign elementsextending between the front faces of and secured to said vertical wallsof the upper and lower legs of said stationary frame, the exposedportions of said over lapping sign elements having sign forming indiciathereon forming a first overall sign display; and a second group ofvertical horizontally spaced sign elements interleaving with andpositioned for movement between said first group of sign elementssecured to said stationary frame, said second group of sign elementsextending between the front faces of said vertical walls of the upperand lower legs of said movable frame and in one of said extremepositions of said movable frame being hidden behind the side first groupof sign elements and in the other extreme position of said movable framecovering over the normally exposed surfaces of the first group of signelements and the exposed portions of said second group of said signelements in the latter position of the movable frame having sign formingindicia thereon forming a second overall sign display.

11. The changeable billboard sign of claim 10 wherein saidroller-receiving track means is formed on the upper leg of thestationary frame and said movable frame is suspended or hung from saidstationary frame by the engagement of the roller means of the movableframe with said track means.

12.. The changeable billboard means of claim 10 wherein most of saidstructural members of said stationary and movable frames are channelmembers, said vertical walls of the structural members being webs andsaid rearwardly extending walls thereof being flanges extending from themargins of the webs of the associated channel members.

13. The changeable billboard sign of claim 18 wherein the upper andlower legs of each of said frames is made of an integral member ofstructural members of a standard length, and the side legs of thestationary frames are made of one or more structural members of the samestandard length as the structural members making up the upper and lowerlegs thereof.

14. The billboard sign of claim 10 wherein most of the structuralmembers making up the movable frame are channel members, said verticalforwardly facing walls being webs of the channel members and saidrearwardly extending walls being flanges extending from the margins ofthe webs of the associated channel members, and said movable frameincludes at least one intermediate horizontal structural sectionextending between side legs of the movable frame which intermediatestructural section comprises at least one channel member arranged withthe web thereof facing forwardly and the flanges thereof extendingrearwardly, and at least one vertical structural section extendingbetween the upper and lower legs of the movable frame, the verticalstructural section comprising at least one channel member extendingalong the rear edges of the flanges of said intermediate horizontalstructural section.

15. The changeable billboard sign of claim 14 where said roller means ofthe movable frame are secured to the top of said vertical structuralsection and also at the ends of the upper leg of the movable frame, andsaid rollerreceiving track means of said stationary frame being formedby the upper leg of said stationary frame with said roller meansengaging with and suspendingly supporting the movable frame from thetrack means of said stationary frame.

References @ited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,117,186 5/1938 MacLaren 40-622,961,788 11/1960 Halperin 40-137 3,102,350 9/1963 Dixon 40-65 EUGENE R.CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. H. GRIEB, Examiner.

1. A CHANGEABLE BILLBOARD SIGN ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THESIDE OF A BUILDING OR SUPPORTED ON A BASE ANCHORED TO A HORIZONTALSUPPORT SURFACE, SAID BILLBOARD SIGN COMPRISING: A STATIONARY FRAME ANDA MOVABLE FRAME FOR SUPPORTING INDICIA CARRYING SIGN ELEMENTS THEREON, AFIRST SERIES OF SIGN ELEMENT ANCHORING MEANS ALONG ONE MARGIN OF ONE OFSAID FRAMES AND AN ASSOCIATED SECOND SERIES OF SIGN ELEMENT ANCHORINGMEANS ALONG THE OPPOSITE MARGIN OF THE LATTER FRAME, A FIRST GROUP OFRELATIVELY LONG SLAT-LIKE SIGN ELEMENTS SUSPENDED IN OVERLAPPINGRELATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF SIGN ELEMENT ANCHORINGMEANS, THE FORWARDLY FACING EXPOSED SURFACES OF THE OVERLAPPING SIGNELEMENTS HAVING BILLBOARD SIGN-FORMING INDICIA THEREON, ONE OF SAIDSERIES OF SIGN ELEMENT ANCHORING MEANS INCLUDING SPRING MEANS WHICH AREPLACED UNDER TENSION BY THE ASSOCIATED SUSPENDED SIGN ELEMENTS ANCHOREDTHERETO TO MAINTAIN THE ASSOCIATED SIGN ELEMENTS IN A RELATIVELY TAUTCONDITION, A GROUP OF SLAT-LIKE SIGN ELEMENTS ON SAID OTHER FRAME ANDWHICH ARE SHORTER THAN SAID FIRST GROUP AND HAVE BILLBOARD SIGN-FORMINGINDICIA ON FORWARDLY FACING SURFACES THEREOF, SAID MOVABLE FRAME BEINGSUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF THE LENGTH OF SAID SLAT-LIKE SIGNELEMENTS BETWEEN OPPOSITE EXTREME POSITIONS, SAID SHORTER GROUP OF SIGNELEMENTS INTERLEAVING WITH SAID FIRST GROUP OF SIGN ELEMENTS AND IN ONEEXTREME POSITION OF THE MOVABLE FRAME BEING HIDDEN BEHIND SAID FIRSTGROUP OF SIGN ELEMENTS AND IN THE OTHER EXTREME POSITION OF THE MOVABLEFRAME COVERING THE EXPOSED INDICIA CARRYING PORTIONS OF THE FIRST GROUPOF SIGN ELEMENTS, THE INDICIA CARRYING SURFACES OF SAID SHORTER SIGNELEMENTS THEN BEING EXPOSED, AND MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PERIODICALLYMOVING SAID MOVABLE FRAME BETWEEN SAID EXTREME POSITIONS.